Dana White and Co. are continuously taking the UFC to new horizons with exciting fight cards and new developments within the promotion. The UFC head honcho and team are taking yet another step towards greatness in the vast digital ecosystem with a new partnership with IBM. From the UFC’s collaboration with IBM to Jon Jones’ upcoming bout at UFC 309, we at EssentiallySports are to bring you yet another episode of our MMA News Roundup.

In this piece, we’ll explore some cool details about the UFC’s partnership with IBM, and on to Gordon Ryan’s message for Jon Jones before his much-anticipated clash against Stipe Miocic. And finally, we’ll see what Nate Diaz had to say about Mike Tyson’s final performance against Jake Paul. So, without any further ado, let’s dive right in!

Dana White and Co. shook hands with IBM

IBM, the world’s leading global hybrid cloud services and AI expertise provider has joined hands with the world’s premier MMA promotion, the UFC. The Head of Global Partnerships at the TKO Group Holdings, Grant Norris-Jones, said, “This partnership with IBM is one of the most significant milestones for UFC and a game changer for how fans will experience our sport. IBM is an iconic blue-chip, global brand with decades of experience in sports marketing. Together, we’re pioneering a product to revolutionize analytics and information in live sports. This partnership marks a pivotal win, not only for UFC and IBM, but also for fans around the world who will experience our sport in a whole new way.”

This partnership is expected to accelerate and scale the existing capabilities of the UFC while driving fan engagement with unique content experiences. It will also provide unprecedented access to UFC fight information. The collaboration between IBM and UFC gave rise to ‘Insights Engine’, which is set to land in early 2025. This will help the MMA promotion reach the fight fans through various broadcast channels and social media channels. 

Jonathan Adashek, the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at IBM, said, “Data and AI solutions like UFC Insights Engine built with IBM watsonx can offer current fans entirely new ways to connect with their favorite athletes and sports, while also building excitement among new generations of MMA fans.” Leveraging ‘watsonx’ and the Granite models will allow the MMA promotion to uplift its digital operations and interact with MMA fans in the digital ecosystem.

Moving on, it’s almost time for the much anticipated UFC 309 clash between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. In the second stop for today’s Roundup, we take a look at Gordon Ryan’s message for the UFC HW champ.

Gordon Ryan sends a long message for Jon Jones before UFC 309

The multiple-time ADCC champion is the jiu-jitsu coach to Jon Jones in his new fight camp, alongside Greg Jackson, Brandon Gibson, and Gable Steveson. With the UFC 309 training camp coming to a close, Ryan took to Instagram and shared a heartfelt message for the undisputed champion. He claimed that every time he trained with another athlete, he aimed at improving himself and getting ready for competition along with the training partner. However, things were different when he trained Jones. 

Ryan wrote, “This is the first time working in a room where I am fully dedicated to someone else’s success. When you are an athlete, you must be nearly 100% SELFISH, and when you are a coach, you must be nearly 100% SELFLESS. In my opinion, you grow and learn just as much about yourself from being in both positions. They are both so rewarding in different ways. Suffering alongside your team through hard sessions, and winning together, there’s nothing like it, but on the flip side, there’s also nothing like working on a series of moves with one of the greatest athletes to ever live and seeing him progressively master those moves and apply them against talented opponents.” 

With ‘Bones’ ready to roll against Stipe Miocic, the BJJ legend believed that it was nothing short of an honor to have been a part of Jones’ last dance. After all, sharing the mats with someone of Jones’ caliber was indeed rewarding for Ryan. 

Finally, we move on to the matchup that has the entire fighting community buzzing. In the fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, Paul’s former opponent Nate Diaz gives his opinion on the matchup. 

Nate Diaz takes his stand as Jake Paul and Mike Tyson get ready for a fight

‘The Baddest Man On The Planet’ is probably entering the squared ring for one final dance against young ‘The Problem Child’. Many fight fans have expressed their worries about Tyson’s health and the age disparity between him and Jake Paul. After all, the former WBC heavyweight champion got into trouble because of his sciatica, and ulcer flare-ups. However, Nate Diaz disregarded all the worries and stood in support of the boxing legend. 

Taking to X, the Stockton native wrote, “Let’s go Mike. F–k Jake,” followed by a punch emoji. Nate Diaz’s rivalry with Jake Paul is quite understandable as the YouTuber-turned-professional boxer defeated Diaz back in 2023. Now, it’s time for the world to witness if the UFC star’s support holds any weight on the outcome between Tyson and Paul.

What are your thoughts on UFC’s partnership with IBM? Do you think Jones’ training with Gordon Ryan would help him win against Miocic at UFC 309? What do you think of Diaz’s stance towards Tyson vs. Paul? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.